Switching-indicator.



No. 893,757. I I PATENTED JULY 21, 1908.

w. L. SULLIVAN. I

SWITCHING INDICATOR.

APPLIGATION FILED OCT. 3. 1907.

. z SHEET8SHEET z.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WARREN L. SULLIVAN, OENEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROBERT L.

HATFIELD, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

SWITCHING-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 21, 1908.

sented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to a despatching system to facilitate the switching of railway trains from a main track or a section of single track to any one of a number of branches leading from such section, and the object of the invention is to furnish a switching indicator for showing to the person or persons who operate the switches the number and the destination of the trains upon such track section, so that the proper switch can be operated when the train reaches the desired branch, for directing it to its proper destination.

The apparatus described herein operates to announce the approach of a train, to indicate the route it is intended to travel, and to permanently record the movements of the trains upon a given tracksection.

The apparatus described herein is not operated like block signals for indicating to a train-driver whether or not the track which he is approaching is clear, and it is not therefore designed as a safety appliance, but as a means of avoiding delay in the despatch of numerous trains from the same point. It is particularly adapted for a railway, (as in a subterranean tunnel) in which there is a piece of track over which all the trains travel in one direction for a certain distance and diverge therefrom upon different routes. It is a common practice upon railways operated in this manner to indicate the route of different trains by the display of numbers or varicolored lights upon the head of the train, but where several trains simultaneously approach the switchman within a contracted place, as in a tunnel, it 'is obvious that the switchman would be unable to determine the route of the second or third train until he could see it, and if it was not convenient or possible to locate the switchman so that he could see such trains, considerable delay in traffic would result, as each train would have to be held up while the preceding one was despatched, so that the operator could see the following train before he operated the switch therefor.

The present invention provides the switchman with a switching indicator which, first, informs him how many trains are approaching upon the same track, second, the intended route of each train, third, the order'in which they are coming, and fourth, makes a record of the number of trains, their destination, and their time-relation to one another. With this apparatus, the switchman is in possession, long before the train reaches the switch, of all the information necessary for him to switch the train to its proper track, and considerable time can thus be saved in handling a large number of trains.

The apparatus may be operated in connection with a section of track of any length, and embraces, first, an indicating device which shows the entrance of each train upon the track-section, second, a magnet for moving the indicatordial, which magnet is energized automatically or manually when the train enters the inlet of such section, third, a magnet operated by the train after it is switched from the said section to reverse the operation of the indicating device, and fourth, a device to record the successive operations of the indicator.

I prefer to use'for each branch-track an indicating-dial capable of exposing a succession of similar marks, one for each of the trains (upon the track-section) intended for such branch. Such dial is readily made by a series of rotatable prisms havin as many sides, and one more, as there Woul be trains at any one time intended for such branch.

The prisms in each dial are arranged behind a vertical row of windows and connected to turn together. The prism at one end of the row has a blank space upon one of its sides, and like indioatmg marks as a, a, (it, upon the other sides, and the adjoining prisms in such series have a progressively greater number of blank sides and like indicating marks upon the remaining sides, so that the first actuation of the prisms exposes one mark (as a) upon the first prism, but another actuation is required to expose a similar mark upon the second prism, and a third actuation to expose a similar mark upon the third rism. The actuating magnet turns the prisms of one dial simultaneously step by step in one direction when each train enters the tunnel, and is actuated successively when other trains for the same destination enter the tunnel, thus indicating upon the same dial how many trains for that destination are on the track section at once.

The reverse movements of the prisms (or other dial) are imparted by ratchet mechanism worked by the magnets referred to above and one complete apparatus, with the prism the ratchet mechanism and the magnets, is provided for each route or branch at the diverging end of the tunnel or track. These units constitute a switching indicator for the section of track, and may be arranged in groups of any number and contained in one case or cabinet so as to be in convenient view of the switchman. I

To record the operations of the apparatus, a sheet of impressible material is conducted past the core of the magnet which is operated as trains enter the tunnel, and an armature acting as a type or hammer is arranged adjacent to the core, so that each time the magnet is energized the paper is printed or perforated. The sheet of paper may be fed by magnetically operated means in circuit with the magnet which operates the hammer, or it may be fed by clock mechanism so as to indicate the timerelation between the suc cessive impressions, and of the trains which enter the track-section. Where this is not convenient, the paper may be made wide enough to receive upon the same strip the impressions produced by all the units in the system, and the succession of impressions upon the paper then indicates the order in which the trains enter the tunnel. A timestamp may also be operated upon the paper to stamp the time upon the paper, simultaneously with the impressing device, either with or without a stamped impression, to show the time each train reported at the inlet of the track-section.

The invention will be understood by reference to the annexed drawing, in which Figure 1 is a front view of the casing for an apparatus of five units adapted for a section of track having five branches; Fig. 2 is a side view of the casing with the nearer wall removed, and the mechanism connected diagrammatically with a section of track and the circuit wires; Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 33 in Fig. 2, showing the connections for operating the rotating prisms, Fig. 4 is a plan of the stop-levers for the ratchet armature, with the armature finger adjacent thereto; and Fig. 5 illustrates an indicatordial having a progressive series of marks thereon.

The section of track a is shown with branch-tracks b, a, (Z, e and j; which require manually operated switches a, b, c, d, for shifting the trains. The circuit wires g and h, shown in Fig. 2, are only those which belon to one unit of the system in connection witi the branch-track I); but similar wires would be included in each of the units which is employed for each of the other branches 0, d, e and For convenience, the trackserition may be referred to herein as a tunne The casing i contains the indicating and recording mechanism of the five units, including for each unit a magnet j connected with the circuit wires 9 from the inlet of the tunnel, a magnet 7c connected with the circuit wires h from a branch-track at the outlet oi the tunnel, and an indicator having a dial formed of several prisms Z, m, n, rotated simultaneously by pinions 0 and a rack p. The rack is moved in opposite directions by a ratchet segment and pawls g which are actuated respectively by the magnets and is. These pawls are mounted on armature-levers 7" jointed to the pivot s of the segment, and extend in opposite directions to engage the ratchet teeth t upon the segment which carries an arm u jointed to the rack 19. To permit the movement of the segment in either direction, the pawls q are held normally out of engagement, and the segment is held from accidental movement by a brakespring a pressed into notches t upon the segment. The energizing of either of the magnets or h serves first to throw the pawl into the segment, and next to move the armaturelever and shift the pawl and segment. This is effected as follows:

The armature-levers have armature-blo cks opposed to the cores of the magnets j and 7c, and the pawls 9 have also armature projections which lie between such blocks and the cores so as to be attracted first when the cores are energized. A stop-lever y is formed of bell-crank shape and pivoted adjacent to each of the magnets and k, with one arm having a stud 2 opposed to the free end of the armature-lever 1", to hold the same from movement (when either of the magnets is energized) until the pawl is engaged with the teeth t. The other end of the stop-lever lies in the path of the armature end of the pawl. The contact of such armature end of the lever with the stop-lever, throws the stop-lever out of line with the finger 1 upon the end of the armature lever, and permits the armature-lever then to move towardthe magnet and oscillate the segment by its attached pawl, its final movement retracting the pawl from the teeth t, leaving the segment free to be turned in the opposite direction. The energizing of the magnet 7c moves the segment to the right, as shown in Fig. 2, and turns the prisms to the left, as indicated by the arrow 4; while the energizing of the magnet moves the segment reversely and turns the prisms to the right, as indicated by the arrow 3.

The prisms show a plurality of like index marks for a plurality of trains intended for the same bran ch, which is ell'ected by making the lower prism with like'marks upon three.

sides and leaving one side blank. The prism next above 1s furnished w1th marks upon two 1 sides and has two sides blank, while the upper prism has a mark upon only one side and has three sides blank. The adjoining prisms of the series have thus a progressively greater number of blank sides, and all the marks upon the remaining sides are similar in each dial, as indicated where thef appears at each of the three windows in the column With this arrangement, the blanks upon the prisms are all presented to the windows 5 when no train is in the tunnel, and the index marks are so arranged upon the prisms that when the prisms are first actuated the one at the end of the row or series shows a single index mark, while the others continue to show blanks. Upon a second actuation, which turns all the prisms one-quarter farther around, the lower prism exposes a like mark, and the next higher prism also exposes a mark, thus showing by two similar marks at two of the windows 5 the presence of two trains intended for the same branch, as indicated in Fig. 1 in the column 5. During such rotation of the lower prism, the upper prism has continued to show blank faces to its window 5, but upon another actuation it presents a like index mark to the upper window, as in the column 5 of Fig. 1, showing the presence of three trains for the same branch. The passage of such trains from the tunnel over the same branch-track reverses the action of the prisms and diminishes the number of index marks present, until only blanks are exposed to the windows. Each actuation of a pawl g gives the prisms a quarter turn or otherwise presents single index mark or blank upon one side of the prisms, which is exposed at a window 5 in the casing.

Fig. 1 shows two index marks exposed in column b, one index mark in column 0, and three in column f, thus indicating the presence of six trains in the tunnel, but not showing which train entered the tunnel first, nor which requires to be first despatched to its proper destination. These facts are shown by marks 18, made upon the recording sheet of paper 9, which is extended. from a reel 10 past the core of the magnet j, to feed-rolls 11 which move the paper ste by step intermediate to the actuations o the magnet This is effected by the magnet 13 in circuit with the magnet j and having a spring-moved pawl 12 fitted to ratchetteeth upon one of the feed-rolls and retracted from such teeth by an armature 14. When the magnets j and 13 are energized, the pawl is retracted, and when they are denergized the spring-moved pawl turns the feed-roll a suitable distance. The mag nets j, shown in Fig. 1, lie in a row below the several columns of windows I), c, d, e and f, and the casing '11 is made with a glass pane 15 adjacent to the paper below the said magnets, with lines 16 ruled upon the glass which would be numbered from the top downwardly in correspondence with the movements imparted to the paper by the feed-rolls. When the magnet j of any unit is energized, a printed mark, puncture or other impression 18 is made upon the paper by a hammer 17, which is formed as an armature adjacent to the paper opposite such magnet, and is shown with a point in Fig. 2 to perforate the paper. The train first entering the tunnel produces a puncture in the paper in a line below one of the windows5, as at the impression 18 below the column f, and thus shows that the first train approaching the operator is to be despatched to the branch-track The destination of the next train is shown by the location of the impression next above upon the paper, as at the impression 18 in column b. The impression next above is in the column 0 showing that the next train should be despatched to that branch, and in like manner the disposition of the successive impressions upon the paper shows the destinations of the successive trains. At the end of a given term, the sheet of paper may be severed and preserved as a record of the trains despatched during such term, the record showing the order in which the trains for the several branch-tracks entered the tunnel. The time-relation of the trains can also be shown by the application of a time-stamp 22 to impress the paper at regular intervals, or with each actuation of the magnet j.

A generator 6 is shown in each of the circuits 9 and h, and an electric contact 8 is shown near the inlet of the tunnel to be operated manually or automatically when any train enters the track-section, for despatch to the branch-track b. This energizes the magnet j in that unit of the case i and turns the dial or indicator which corresponds with the branch-track 6. Such indication shows the presence in the tunnel of a train intended for that branch, and contacts 7 are shown'upon the'rails of this branch-track b which would be connected by the car axle as it passes overthe contacts, thus closing the circuit through the magnet is and reversely operating the dial so as to withdraw or diminish the indication as each train leaves the tunnel. A corresponding unit of the apparatus is provided for each of the branch-tracks, there being a contact 8 at the inlet of the track-section for each of the branches, and a separate indicator for each of the branch-tracks, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1, where the apertures for exposing the index marks are arranged in vertical columns marked 6, c, d, e and f, in correspondence with the branchtracks.

In Fig. 1, index marks I) appear from the lower and middle one of the three prisms,

and to indicate such marks in Fig. 2, projections are shown upon corresponding sides of the prisms, and similar projections are shown upon two other sides of the bottom prism, while the upper prism has only one such projection or index mark. Any number of prisms may be used corresponding with the greatest number of trains that would be present in the tunnel at one time for a given branch. Instead of using a plurality of such indicating devices to form an indieating dial, a single dial-piece such as the segment 19 in Fig 5 may be provided with a plurality of progressively increasing index marks 21, and such single piece actuated by an arm 20 connected with a rod 1) from the ratchet-segment.

In Fig. 5, two index marks or projections upon the segment 19 are shown opposite the window 5, and if the segment were turned upwardly three would be shown. If the segment were turned downwardly one step, one projection would be shown, and if turned downwardly two steps a blank would be presented to the window.

From the above description it is obviously immaterial what form of dial mechanism be employed to indicate the number of trains, provided it is capable of being operated reversely so as to advance or retract the index marks, as may be desired.

When the dial is constructed with a plurality of prisms as shown, it will be understood that the prisms have like index marks upon certain of their sides in a progressive order, so that the mark first exposed may be repeated when the first prism is again turned, and the remaining sides are unprovided with marks so as to make no indication until the prisms below it have been sufficiently turned. I/Vith this construction, the simultaneous turning of the prisms presents successively an increasing number of like marks, and their rotation in the opposite direction correspondingly decreases the number of indicating marks presented.

Only one of the feeding-magnets 13 is shown, and is represented. in Fig. 1 at one end. of the feed-rolls d, and such a single magnet suffices to feed the paper by connecting it in circuit with all the magnets of the different units in the same case.

I am aware that in signaling apparatus for electric railways various kinds of indicators are used which are actuated by ratchet-mechanism and are capable of being operated in reverse directions. I do not therefore claim merely a reversible indicator, but the provision of such an indicator for each one of several branch-tracks connected with a single line of track, to guide the switchman in despatching the trains to the required branch-tracks.

Having thus set forth the nature of the in vention what is claimed herein is:

1. In a switching indicator for showing the number and destination of a series of trains upon a track-section having branchtracks at its exit end, the combination, with a casing having a vertical row of windowsfor each of such brancl1tracks, with prisms having blank sides and indicating marks as set forth behind each row of windows, of means for turning the prisms step by step progressively in either direction to indicate the number and destination of the trains, and manually operated switches for switching the trains from the railway section to the respective branch-tracks.

2. In a switching indicator for showing the number and destination of a series of trains upon a track-section having branch-tracks at its exit end, the combination, with a casing having a vertical row of windows for each of such branch-tracks with a series of prisms having blank sides and indicating marks as set forth behind each row of windows, connecting means for rotating each series of prisms independently, a magnet for each of such series of prisms with a circuit operable at the inlet end of the railway section and means to turn the prisms in one direction, and an additional magnet for each of such series of prisms with a circuit and a contact operated automatically by the train passing over one of the branches, to turn the prisms in the opposite direction, and means for manually operating the switches'in accordance with the index-marks exposed.

3. In a switching indicator for showing the number and destination of a series of trains upon a track-section having branch-tracks at its exit end, the combination, with a casing having a vertical row of windows for each of such branch-tracks, of indicating mechanism arranged behind each row of windows for one of such branch-tracks, and comprising a series of horizontal prisms journaled one above another behind the several windows and connected to turn simultaneously, the prism at one end of the row having a blank space upon one side and like indicating marks upon the other side, and the adjoining risms in such series having a progressive y greater number of blank sides, and like indicating marks upon the remaining sides, a magnet with a circuit and manually operated contact at the inlet end of the tracksection with connections to turn the prisms step by step in one direction to successively expose their indicating marks, and a magnet with a circuit and contact operated automatically by a train passing over one of the branches and connections to turn the prisms step by step in the opposite direction to progressively expose the blank spaces thereon.

4. In a switching indicator for showing the destination of a train as it approaches a switch, the combination, with a section of railway track having railway branches at its exit end with switches for shunting the trains to the said branches, of unitary signaling devices, one for each of said branches, having each an indicator-dial with a series of indexmarks thereon, a magnet with an electric circuit having a contact operable at the inlet end of the railway section, and a magnet with electric circuit operable upon one of the branches, mechanism connected with the two magnets for turning the said dial step by ste in reverse directions, .and means for manua ly operating the switches of the branch-tracks in accordance with the indi cations of the dial.

5. In a switching indicator for showing the number and destination of a series of trains upona track-section having branches at its exit end, the combination, with a section of railway track having railway branches at its exit end and with switches for shunting the trains to the said branches, of an indicatordial for each of said branches and a series of index-marks thereon, a magnet for each of said dials with a circuit and a contact at the inlet end of the railway section to close such circuit and turn the dial in one direction, a magnet for each of said dials with a circuit and a contact operated automatically by a train passing over one of the branches to close the said circuit and turn the corresponding dial step by step in the opposite direction, and manually operated switches for directing the trains in accordance with the indications of the dial.

6. In a signaling apparatus, the combination, with a plurality of indicator-dials having each a series of index-marks, of means for turning each of the dials step by step progressively in either direction, and means for recording the successive actuations of the several disks in a time-relation to one another.

7. In a signaling apparatus, the combina tion, with a plurality of indicator-dials having each a series of index-marks, of means for turning each of the dials independently step by step progressively in either direction, an indicator-sheet with means for moving the same simultaneously with any one of the dials, and means for impressing the sheet at each actuation of a dial and thereby indicating the relation of such actuations to one another.

8. In a signaling apparatus, the combina tion, with an indicator-dial having a series of index-marks, of mechanism having means to operate in reverse directions upon the said dial, a section of railway-track, a magnet with circuit having a contact operated at the inlet of the section to operate the dial in one direction, a magnet with circuit auto matically operated at the outlet of the section to operate the dial in the opposite direction, a sheet of paper with a magnet for shifting the same intermediate to the operations of the first mentioned magnet, and means for impressing the paper at each actuation of the first mentioned magnet, whereby the entrance of each train upon the track-section is recorded upon the paper.

9. In a switching indicator, a dial comprising a casing with a row of windows, a plurality of prisms mounted to rotate behind the windows and having like index-marks 7 upon certain of their sides as described, and the remaining sides unprovided with marks, and means for turning the prisms simultaneously, whereby the prisms present successively at the diiierent windows an increasing number of like marks.

10. In a switching indicator, a dial comprising a casing with a row of windows, a plurality of prisms mounted to rotate behind the windows and having like index-marks upon certain of their sides as described, and the remaining sides unprovided with marks, and means for turning the series of )risms simultaneously in either direction, w ereby the turning of the prisms in one direction presents an increasing number of like marks and their rotation in the op osite direction correspondingly decreases t e number of marks presented.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WARREN L. SULLIVAN.

Witnesses:

L. LEE, THOMAS S. CRANE. 

